Hong Kong is set to welcome a hat-trick of international fencing events at the AsiaWorld-Expo over the next nine months, it was announced on Friday, concluding with the next FIE World Championships.
The FIE Junior Epee World Cup will be the first to be held in the city, from November 28 to 30 this year at Lantau Island, followed by the FIE Women’s Foil World Cup from January 9 to 11, and the world championships from July 21 to 30.
With Hong Kong also set to host the National Games next month, Cheung Ka-long reflected on the significance of competing on home soil and expressed his anticipation for the unique atmosphere in the coming fencing competitions.
“It’s rare for us to take part in an international competition at home, so I cherish the opportunity very much,” he said. “If I am to name one thing that I will be looking forward to [at the arena], that would be listening to those Cantonese chants cheering for us.”
The two-time Olympic champion said he was still resting after the world championships in July, but was expected to return to a week-long training camp in Japan from next Friday.
“I felt there was too little rest for me after the Paris Olympics and I started to prepare for the last season,” said the 28-year-old, who is now ranked No 13 in the world. “After talking to my coach [Greg Koenig], we felt this is a good window to have some extra rest.
